Hy-Vee History: Iowa Time Machine January 1, 1938

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On January 1, 1938, Hyde & Vredenburg, Inc., better known to Iowans as Hy-Vee, officially incorporated and established a headquarters in Lamoni. The partnership blossomed in Beaconsfield, and incorporation offered owners autonomy, a forerunner to the employee ownership the company values today.

In 1917, David Vredenburg entered the grocery business, operating a store for the Lamoni-based General Supply Company. In 1921, Charles Hyde started working at a store operated by Vredenberg and his partner, Lewis, in Woodbine. By 1930, Vredenburg decided to form a partnership to create the General Supply Company and open their first store in Beaconsfield, Iowa.

After the Great Depression forced the dissolution of the General Supply Company, Vredenburg purchased many of the chain’s holdings. The two partners operated their own stores in addition to their joint venture. By 1938, Hyde and Vredenburg decided to consolidate their independently owned stores in Iowa and Missouri into a 15-store chain.

The company of Hyde & Vredenburg continued to grow, relocating its corporate headquarters to Chariton in 1945. In 1952, the company also adopted the winning entry from an employee naming contest, adopting the familiar Hy-Vee brand for the stores. #Iowa #OTD #History #Groceries #Food